


A Sea of Stars

by Brit Hux-Tico (birchwoods01)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canonverse AU, Eventual Smut, F/M, Gingerflower, Gingerose, Gingerrose - Freeform, Human/Monster Romance, Shapeshifting, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:35:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23602429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birchwoods01/pseuds/Brit%20Hux-Tico
Summary: Armitage Hux finds a rare creature in a black market. Having heard tales of fish-women of the sea who could lure a man to his death, he purchases the creature with the intention of studying it, obsessed with it's beauty.But the creature's name is Rose, and she has plans of her own.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico
Comments: 24
Kudos: 41





	A Sea of Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Izachii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izachii/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The marvelous [Izam](https://twitter.com/izam_w) on Twitter was asked (on Tumblr) to make Gingerose Mermaid fanart. She in turn asked me to make a fanfiction to accompany said fanart. She helped come up with the base prompt and I added a bunch of other stuff to it and wrote this! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy. Thanks to my Beta [ @ElfMaidenOfLight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElfMaidenOfLight/pseuds/ElfMaidenOfLight) for being so amazing and helping me out with this piece! You're simply the best!

Armitage Hux was born of storm and ocean. The waters of his youth on Arkanis teemed with all manner of sea creatures. He'd Heard tales of fish-women who resided amongst the waves, their siren song calling, luring men to their deaths beneath the sea. 

As a child, the story had fascinated him. He’d often hoped that Brendol, on one of his many visits across Arkanis by sea skiff, would hear such a call and lose his way home. A particularly cruel thing for a child to desire, but he was not a child in his father’s eyes, only a bastard; a tool meant to abuse and sharpen. 

The first time he laid eyes on her, at a shop in the black market, he wanted her almost immediately. 

The plaque near where she was displayed read “The Rose of The Sea”.

She certainly was breathtakingly beautiful: a human female torso with large breasts covered just barely by the sheen of glittering copper and coral shaded scales, with long dark hair that drifted prettily around her, suspended in water. Her tail was a rich, pink-red coral in color, and loomed impressively in the water, ending in two lace-thin fins that glimmered a pale white, as if her entire presence gave off it’s own source of light.

Her almond-shaped eyes were sad and soft, forlorn as they studied him with disinterest, her form weak and limp, floating still in the water. As customers walked past her tank, her owner would send her an electronic shock, causing her to dance with a thrumm of the violence. 

When he pulled away, she’d flick her tail feebly, doing as instructed: show off for the customers. 

It infuriated him to see something so beautiful so mishandled, unconsciously empathizing with her, reminded of his own abusive past. He paid for her at once, the largest sum of credits he had ever spent on anything in the entirety of his short life. He even knew he was being ripped off, but he didn’t care. 

She did not look at him as he pressed a gloved hand to the glass. Her head was turned away, gaze averted to the sandy bottom of her tank. Her coral colored tail curled behind her, arms crossed around her torso, holding her stomach as if she felt sick inside. Her breasts, large and so soft looking, were modest only by the amount of glittering copper scales that covered the front of her, flicking over her flesh like the pattern of many flames. Her black hair fanned around her, long and feathery looking, swaying with the light motion of her movement. 

Of all the choices he could have made: take her to Arkanis and set her free, build a larger habitat for her and have someone tend to her until the war was over, he finally decided to bring her with him onto the _Finalizer_. There, he could keep her close, keep her near, where he could study her, inspect her, pick her thoughts, if she had any. 

_You’re mine_ , he wanted to breathe, his gaze developing a possessive longing as her eyes met his. 

He dare not speak those words, just in case she could understand. Even so, she looked at him as if she understood him, as if she could spear through his mind and read his every thought, seeing what he intended of her before he even spoke it aloud. 

She looked so sad, so miserable; unhealthy and unwell. 

“I’ll take care of you,” he said instead.

She turned her head and looked away. 

It was not quite easy to get her on board the Finalizer. Arrangements had to be made for her safety and for his military compliance: on paper, the reason Hux had acquired such a magnificent creature was for the sole purpose of studying the effects on men, filing it under weapons development. 

Because it was General Hux who had asked, her accommodations were ready within a few days. During that time, he visited her often, hoping to see some sign of life or interest within her, some sign of intelligence. 

She moved very little. Her tank was so small it had become filthy in just a few days of his ownership. Furious, Hux paid the seller a large sum to clean the tank for her, and observed the entire process with narrowed, watchful eyes. 

They utilized a crane droid to remove her, the long, spider-like arm hovering over the surface of the tank, beginning to lower within. 

The moment the spindles touched the surface of the water, the fish-woman within began to thrash violently. She zipped around her small tank in wide circles, her eyes flashing in panic and fear in every revolution she took, sending upsets of splashing water that smelled of mold and filth. 

“Stop!” Hux snarled at the droid, striding forward on heavy booted steps. “Cease at once, you are disturbing her!”

The droid paused, and the woman wormed her way into a corner, her hands pressed back against the glass, eyes wide and chest heaving slightly as if panting in fear. 

Hux met her eyes as a little bubble of air left her parted lips and blipped up to the top of the tank. 

_Fascinating._

He pressed a gloved palm to the tank again, keeping his eyes on hers. He hoped there was some intelligence within her. 

“Please,” he began, wetting his lips slightly with his tongue. “They only want to clean your tank. Please allow them. It is for your benefit.”

Her glistening brown eyes narrowed somewhat, and she glanced upward again toward the crane as if he understood. She did not, however, remove herself from the corner of the tank, but pressed ever closer. 

Hux sighed with impatience and annoyance, trying to think of another way to clean the tank if there would be no extracting her.

“Is this how you cleaned the tank before?” Hux demanded of the seller, who was standing off to the side behind the droid, looking bored. 

The seller nodded. “We pull her out of the water, drain, send a droid in, then refill.”

“And the entire time she is sitting out of the water?”

The seller nodded with a lazy shrug. 

Perhaps she could not breathe out of the water, or perhaps it was painful for her in some way. He returned his expression to the tank. If she would prefer to stay in her filth, then it would be fine for now. He slowly removed his glove from the transparisteel and backed away, motioning with a wave of his hand for the droid to remove itself. 

That evening, unable to sleep in his hotel room, Hux lay awake, propped up in bed, designing waterproof scrubbing droids and made adjustments to his plans for a tank, allowing for an open air portion that would give him space to have physical interaction with her, should he choose it.

The excitement to get her on board his ship, where he could be with her, alone, and study her, was more than he could bear. If he were not careful, this prize of his would prove an enticing distraction from his other duties as General. Already he had taken much leave away from work, meaning he’d have to focus doubly strong. At least, under the cover of weapons development, he had an excuse to be alone with his new obsession.

Finally, her accommodations on the _Finalizer_ were ready. It was time to move her.

It had not been difficult to move her to her transport tank, a long, coffin-shaped rectangular space. Hooking it into the side entry of her tank, they opened the door, water flooding in. Hux gestured with one arm, nimbly, toward the small, claustrophobic space. The fish-woman hesitated only moments, before darting inside. 

She curled her arms around herself, eyes squeezed tightly shut, her expression morose and forlorn. 

Hux studied her as the tank was detached and wrapped in it’s black covering to hide her from the rest of the world.

Signs of intelligence were there, and something powerful moved through him at the way she had simply obeyed his command. As if she knew he were taking her somewhere better, getting her out of the hellhole she’d been trapped in for so long. 

On board the Finalizer, he followed her levitating transport with a smug expression, matching the floating shape step for step. Around him, his underlings saluted and scattered out of his way, wide eyes taking in the strange shape of the box, but no one daring to ask him why or what the object was. 

Hux escorted her to his private chambers, where her own accommodations awaited. 

He had designed them rather quickly, but was pleased with the results. 

One entire wall of his private quarters had been expanded and turned into her aquarium, expanding from floor to ceiling and designed so that she could move freely from the living quarters to his bedroom. 

The sandy bottom had been decorated with items from the sea, living plants and swaying bundles of seaweed, pretty shells and large, black rocks with speckles of crystal sparkling within them, chunks of coral and living anemones; small, colorful fishes. 

He was unaware that he was treating her very much like his new pet, or a piece of artwork for him to admire. Having closed himself off from human feelings quite a long time ago, there was nothing wrong with wanting to look at her, to see her dance within the mirage of blue lighting, study her; a wonder just for him. 

His favorite part about her new tank, however, was the portion tucked into the corner of his bedroom. Along the large wall of viewports leading to the stunning vastness of space outside the ship, was a long, low tank attached to the larger one. 

The top of this tank only came up to his chest, and within the tank a row of bench seating had been installed, in case he ever needed to seat himself within the water to study or access her. This entrance from smaller tank to larger was blocked off with a magnetic shield similar to the ones used in Star Destroyer hangar bays. It’s presence would allow his prize to swim from the larger tank into the smaller one without increasing the volume of water in the smaller tank and causing an overflow. 

It was into the smaller tank that she would be first deposited, as Hux was incredibly eager to have access to her for his studies. 

He removed the black sheeting from around her transport tank and their eyes met, hers softened and sad as she glanced around, widening with slight fear at the unfamiliar location. He placed a palm against the clear surface of the box, as if to calm her, then guided the box to hook up to the smaller tank. With a release of the magnetic shield door, she darted through the entrance and into the smaller tank, heading straight for the opposite magnetic shield that led to the larger one. 

So, she was intelligent. She would have to be, to know where to go so soon. 

The shield was closed off to her, however, and she bounced against the magnetic forcefield and drifted backward in the water, turning to pierce him with a fearful gaze. 

Unable to keep the smirk from his face, excitement thrumming beneath his skin, he detached the transport tank and backed it into the corner of his room, out of his way, then returned to press one of the buttons along the side of the newly-installed command panel. The lid of the small tank retracted with a low whirring of mechanical gears. 

Slowly, the mermaid’s head extended up above the water. 

She studied him with a look of curiosity now, head tilting to the side as if she were contemplating something, and raked her pretty brown gaze up and down his form. 

Hux could hardly move, scarcely breathe, his excitement was so great. 

She looked even more beautiful above the water, her black hair curling down over her shoulder. As she scoot forward toward the edge of the tank, she lifted herself with her slight arms, beads of dewy water rolling down her smooth, tan flesh, her scale-covered breasts pressing into the glass, making her nipples slightly more obvious in their nubbed shape. 

His mouth went dry. 

“Do you have a name?” he asked immediately, curious if she could understand language and speak it in return, now that her face was freed from the water. 

She continued to stare at him, something in her gaze shifting, as if she were starting to realize exactly what kind of man he was, gears of decision turning in her head. 

Hux could tell she was thinking, and for the first time since acquiring this subject, began to fear she may be more intelligent than he’d even considered. 

“Rose,” her lips pursed slightly as she spoke, and her voice was sweet and clear as a bell, musical in the lilting way she spoke. 

A tremulous feeling shuddered through him, trickling down his spine. 

“Is that a name they gave you? Or a name you were given at birth?”

She did not speak immediately, merely studied him with slightly narrowed eyes, head still cocked slightly to the side. Her tail swished languidly behind her, back and forth in the water, reminding him a little of his cat, Millicent, before she pounced on something. 

He tensed up, but told himself it was ridiculous to compare her to a feline. They were two completely different species. He had no idea how this creature would respond to anything, which was why he was so fascinated by her. She was something new, something he could study and dissect and observe. 

“Is there a reason you would like to know?” came her reply, her tone gentle as she turned her cheek and laid it elegantly against her arm, never once removing her eyes from him, not even blinking. 

It was slightly eerie. Hux grit his teeth before responding. 

“I would merely like to know what you prefer to be called, if you indeed have a preference.”

Her lips pulled into a slight smile then, however the gesture did not reach her eyes. It was mildly creepy in its effect, her glassy brown eyes open and staring at him with the little curl of her lips, her teeth exposed, sharp and slightly pointed, tail swishing every so slowly behind her. 

“I chose the name Rose,” she uttered prettily, leaning up quite suddenly off of her arm. She dipped herself back down into the water, her eyes closing and mouth opening as if she sighed. A series of bubbles came out of her throat. 

It was then Hux noticed three little coral colored slats on the sides of her neck, small and slight. They moved as she inhaled the water. 

_Gills like a fish._

_Fascinating._

Her head appeared once more above the water, the line of it at her nose so only her eyes were visible above, the shimmering surface of the blue lights on the water reflecting strangely in her eyes. 

The change in her demeanor was making him uneasy. Perhaps she had taken to her new tank, or she was pleased by the new space, or the cleanliness of the water, or perhaps by the fact that he was speaking to her. He did not imagine she had much intelligent attention where she had been before he’d liberated her. 

“The man who owned you before… did he speak to you?”

Rose seemed to giggle, the sound a bubbling hiccup beneath the water, and she surged upward once more toward the edge of the tank. She was so fast, Hux almost backed away, but he held his ground, used to withholding his fear from potential threats. 

“At first, yes, but after a while, no. We didn’t get along.”

Her eerie gaze continued to connect with his as she spoke. Never once did she blink or look away, and the tone of her voice was a little too cheerful for the content of her words. 

Could this creature control men with just her song? Was he overtly foolish in disregarding this tale? He couldn’t outright ask her, nor could he consult any sort of manual to help him. 

It was dangerous, risky, however he was willing to do it, in the name of science and discovery. 

Even so, he felt equal parts uneasy and thrilled as he contemplated the potentialities of this new element in his life.

“I see,” Hux muttered, adjusting one of his gloves for something to occupy his hands. “Do you know how old you are?”

“No,” she replied almost immediately, then pursed her lips. “Do you call yourself my new master?”

Hux cleared his throat to cover his awkward and sharp inhale of breath at that. 

She noticed his cheekbones were colored slightly as he shook his head firm 

He straightened in that regal soldier’s bearing of his, looking down on her from his safe distance away from her. 

“No, I do not call myself ‘master’. I am a General of the First Order, and you are a test subject.”

“A General,” she mused in a sing-song voice, flicking her tail so that little specks of water splashed against the viewport opened unto the stars beyond her. “My General, then, not my master…”

 _My General_ … 

His cheekbones took on a more pronounced color of red as he shook his head once again. 

“You are not a slave, nor are you property. You are a guest.”

Rose sank back down into the water once more, her little gills flapping slightly as she inhaled through her nose, opening her mouth to let a stream of bubbles float to the surface. The entire time she did not break eye contact with him, but seemed to study him through the glass. 

He watched her intently as she rose back to the surface. 

“May I enter my new home, my General?” 

Hux bristled with irritation that she did not seem to get the point in his title, but she was already ducking down beneath the water, watching him as she swam slowly toward the magnetic shield door, perhaps eager to find new space in which to move. 

He breathed slowly through his nostrils and growled out a sigh, stepping forward and punching in the code to open the barrier.

A rippling effect moved through the water as the passage was opened, and Rose darted within immediately, shooting fast like a bright star of orange scarlet. 

He turned and watched her, enthralled, as she moved with grace and speed, swirling up and down the entire length of her tank, flipping in curli-cues and pulling round donuts through the waves, her face split open with an expression of excited and curious wonder. 

Something about her expression caused a pleasured feeling to take up place at the base of his spine. Soon, watching her in joyous tumble, he was warm all over, the feeling entirely foreign and unfamiliar to him. 

Uncomfortable, he forced himself to look away from her, and strode into the living area to fix himself a drink. 

She followed him, along the glass, her strange, unblinking gaze studying him passively. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he turned toward her with a slight frown. 

Rose met his gaze, cocked her head slightly and smiled, before turning to take off back down the length of the tank. 

He poured himself a whiskey, watching her in her ethereal beauty as she nestled down upon the pink spongy bed he’d had installed along the bottom, unsure if she’d like a place to rest or sleep, or if she’d merely float about. But she lay herself down along the shape of it, letting out a little sigh by release of bubbles, as she lounged out like a cat, stretching her arms, her black hair fanning out behind her. 

Again, that warm feeling blossomed within him. She seemed happy here. 

Wondering vaguely where his other pet, Millicent, had gotten off to, he strode to his desk to complete some of his more pressing assignments.

Hours passed by as Hux worked, hunched over datapads, crunching numbers, filing paperwork, menial and boring tasks that he hated but were important for the good of the Order. He forgot all about his newly acquired beauty, as she did not appear again in the tank in the living room as he worked. Five hours in, he crashed on the desk, knocked out and sound asleep. 

Rose had napped as well, finding the cushioned sponge he had provided quite comfortable. In fact, everything in this tank was fantastic, much nicer and larger and more spacious than anything her previous ‘owner’ had provided her with. This one reminded her of the open ocean, though it held no comparison to the real thing. 

She swam lazily toward the view she had of the stars, beyond the tank, excited and enthralled by their burning presence in the black landscape of space. She’d never seen space before, and despite its beauty, all she could ponder was how much closer she was to freedom among the waves. 

For this man was a fool. A simple-minded, blundering fool. 

She could tell automatically what he wanted. 

All men wanted something: power, sex, money, control. This man, though he was a tad bit more complicated, wanted many things, among which was power, respect, and knowledge. 

_Above all, that is certainly what he wants_ , she thought to herself as she wandered lazily up and down the length of the tank, seeking him out. 

_He wants to know about me. He’s fascinated. He must think himself quite the intelligent man._

Bubbles surrounded her as she giggled into the water, spotting him collapsed at his desk in the dark living room. He breathed gently, in and out, looking calm and serene. 

_And he wants to be needed_. 

She glanced around the tank, knowing he’d lavished these things upon her for many reasons: perhaps so he did not seem a monster; a way to justify keeping a sentient being in a cage, though to his defense, he did not know her sentient until today. 

But a man did not do such things for a science project, though he likely told himself that’s what she was. Rather, he liked that she depended solely on him. 

_Funny._

But Rose was pleased. Because needing to be needed she could work with. 

Not to mention the way he’d noticed her breasts, the way he’d blushed as she called him _My General._

This man would be easy. She was already halfway under his skin. 

She knew of the First Order, knew of their plans to conquer the Galaxy and “make it a better place”. She also knew of the destruction they caused on their way toward victory. 

She was born on Hays Minor, in a deep ocean cave. As she grew, the First Order had moved onto her planet, discovering rich minerals and ore deep within the planet’s crust. They’d mined it, causing pollution through the connected underwater caves, seeping into the oceans and sickening her people. 

They’d tested their weapons there, either ignorant of the sentient life there, or in spite of it. 

By the time the First Order was done with Hays Minor, she and her sister were the only ones left. In a last-ditch effort to escape, they’d utilized their abilities in the Force, the call of their siren song, and convinced some lower ranking First Order officers to remove them from the planet. 

They got away, but without the ocean to supply them in space, they grew weak, and their hold over the men wavered. Soon after, they were sold and purchased by the same man the General had bought her from. 

Paige died within captivity after two weeks, sick from the pollution on their home planet and undernourished by their captor due to her unwillingness to cooperate. 

Originally, Rose had wanted vengeance. Some part of her still did. But what she really wanted was to find a place where she could live in peace, to swim within a wide open ocean. To be free. 

The General startled awake, crying out softly as if he’d had a night terror. 

Rose pressed her palms against the tank, swishing her body closer, gazing at him with a tilt of her head. 

He noticed her, his sea-green eyes glittering in the light from her tank. She smiled softly, flicked her tail to the right, and swept down the length of the tank, hoping he would catch her meaning and follow. 

_Yes, General. Come with me._

He did stand, straightening his uniform and his hair, and strode into the room after her. 

She could tell this space was the room he slept in, by the presence of a bed. She’d only slept on a bed once in her life, and it had not been a pleasant experience. 

She gestured toward the magnetized shield that separated her from the small tank that would give her access to him. 

He studied her with sleepy eyes, rubbing them gently, almost like a child, then reached forward and punched in the code. Rose darted through the shield as soon as it had opened, feeling the vibrations against her fins. 

She bobbed her head above the water, taking in a strange breath of air. She could breathe open air, but it just didn’t taste as nice as oxygen fresh from water

“General,” she uttered warmly, pooling just a little bit of energy into the sing-songy way she uttered his title. 

His cheekbones burned, meaning it had worked. 

Flattery was easy. 

She rose up against the edge of the tank then, pressing herself into the glass, swishing her tail prettily from side to side. His gaze flickered down to her breasts, then to her tail, his cheeks still warm, but he turned away from her, as if the out of control feeling was irritating him. 

Interesting. So he intended to fight her. 

“I’m hungry,” she stated softly. “Do you intend to feed me or shall I waste away?”

His lips parted to release a huff of irritation, his hooded gaze turning to meet hers. He was sleepy, exhausted, torn between reality and dreams. 

Perhaps she should let him go back to sleep. It would be kind. However, her stomach was churning with pain, making slight growling noises muffled by the water.

“What is it that you eat?” he asked carefully, tone meticulous. 

“Meat, mostly, or… certain vegetables. Anything you can digest I can as well. Except for fruit. I don’t eat fruit.”

Hux’s eyes were wide as he studied her. 

“You… are suddenly quite talkative. I had no idea you would speak so eloquently.”

Rose wanted to roll her eyes. _Foolish man._

Instead, she tilted her head to the side and smiled prettily.

“You provided me with such a nice home. I like it here.”

She wasn’t entirely lying, exactly. It was a nice home. But it was temporary. She was going to get out of there. 

Still, her words seemed to appease him. He straightened himself and nodded, studying her as if appraising her under a new light. 

“I will order you a meal. I had figured you might… eat the fish within your tank, but I suppose I should have anticipated you would be used to feedings from your… from… me.”

“Eat the fish?” Rose shuddered, the water shaking around her. She gave him a wry smile, unaware of her unnerving quality due to the ever-open nature of her eyes. “They’re my companions, General.”

He turned awkwardly away from her then and approached the wall, opening a panel to push a button. 

“This is General Hux requesting two servings of nerf with a standard side of vegetables. Droid delivered.”

That finished, he turned back toward her with bleary eyes, sighing heavily through his nose. He strolled back toward her and sat down on the corner of his bed, leaning down to remove his shoes. 

Rose watched him do so with narrowed eyes, tempted to sing to him now. 

But she had to wait, draw him in, keep him fascinated. If she moved too quickly, he could catch on. Despite his foolishness, he did give her the overall impression of someone who was not to be trifled with. 

People who rose to the rank of General were typically quite sharp. 

“Why did you bring me here, General?” she asked instead, already knowing the emotional answer, but wanting to hear the logical one he used to lie to himself. 

He leveled his gaze with her, unable to keep his sight from flickering over her beauty. His expression softened only a moment before he seemed to control it again, with a firm clench of his jaw. 

“I am from Arkanis. I’ve heard tales of your kind. I wish to study you.”

Her tail flicked behind her and she turned to glance over her shoulder, studying the built in bench within the small tank. 

“Do you plan on joining me in here?” her question was almost a song, and she turned her head whiplike fast back toward him, studying him with soft eyes. “Care to swim with me, General?”

His face blazed with warmth, persuaded by her song, his thoughts wandering into lascivious territory as his gaze flickered down her torso. 

Rose pressed closer to the glass, her tail swishing slowly behind her. 

Hux stood, his breathing uneven, and took one step toward the tank. 

The doors at the front of his living quarters opened, and a droid whirred into the room carrying a platter. 

Hux snapped out of the momentary hold she’d placed over him, turning and striding toward the droid like nothing had happened. He took hold of the tray and carried it back into the bedroom, placing it on the end of the bed and uncovering the metal platter containing her food. 

Rose’s stomach rumbled, and all playful attempts at placing him under control fled her mind. Tonight, it would be enough to eat and rest. 

He carried the platter over toward her, seeming to hesitate in getting too close, but Rose was salivating now, and waved her hands at him, hurrying him over. He stepped closer, and Rose snatched at the morsels of meat with her bare hands, holding her fist up to her mouth and gnawing delicately at the meat. 

Hux watched her, expression torn between mild disgust and fascination as she tore off bite after bite, chewing and swallowing as patiently as she could, making little noises of satisfaction as the meat filled her belly. 

She reached for more, and Hux patiently allowed it, watching her stuff herself until she was sated, the platter clean. 

He moved to put the platter back on the bed. Rose moaned slightly in contentment, the sound a little too like a song, causing Hux to pause mid step and look back at her.

“Did you say something?” he asked softly. 

Rose grinned, licking the grease from her lips and rolling onto her back to float in the tank, staring up at the rows of blue lights along the ceiling.

“No, General,” she murmured softly, eyes on him now, her hands folded over the shiny scales at her navel. “But I thank you for the treat. I will sleep well now.”

He nodded, clearing his throat, and approached the tank once more, gesturing toward the larger tank with a nod. 

“Back inside, please.”

Rose controlled her face from frowning, hiding her disappointment within, pushed it into a fake smile. He did not recognize it. 

“Sleep well, General,” she murmured warmly, then did as she was told, flickering past the magnetic shield and into the larger tank. 

He locked the shield door then disappeared into the tiny room beside his bed. When he exited a half an hour later, his hair was damp and he was changed into softer looking clothing, an interesting sight for a proud General. He did not look at her nor say anything as he dimmed the lights and crawled into his bed. 

Rose studied him for a very long time in the dark, not feeling very sleepy. His pretty orange hair was fluffy and soft looking, his breathing even, his form rigid and stiff as if he could not find comfort, even in sleep. If he’d left her tank open, she could have eased him into the most perfect sleep he’d ever had. He would slip up soon.

He was going to take her out of there. He was going to deliver her to an ocean and let her go. 

Rose could taste it; sweet freedom. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments keep authors fed and willing to write! If you liked this, please leave a comment, even if it's just an emoji expressing your feelings! 
> 
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